Short Detours

Sagada is one of the best destinations in the Philippines with so much activities and picturesque landscapes to offer. Hiking, spelunking, culture, rice terraces, gastronomy, arts - they have it. Famous for its magnificent caves, rice terraces and rustic lifestyle, Sagada regularly attracts thousands of tourists specially on weekends. Even made more famous by the movie “Tadhana”, more and more people come to Sagada to find their own “tadhana” (fate). Viewing sea of clouds in Marlboro Country. But before going there, make proper preparations. Sagada is a highland with climate different from the usual tropical setting. Here are several things to consider when visiting Sagada The sacred lake Banao / Danum. Be Culturally Sensitive. This is the most important of all. Don’t go around asking stupid questions like where you can find Igorots. The kind of Igorot you’re looking for does not exist. Igorots are the ones who live there and they’re the ones you meet a...

The distant mountain on the left is Mt. Pulag while the peak on the right is Mt. Timbac The Queen's Curtain in Sumaguing Cave is one of the tourist destinations in Sagada. Cordillera has many beautiful places to visit like Sagada and Banaue. But the saying goes “it’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey.” So while we will surely enjoy our visits to these beautiful spots, we sometimes forget about the sceneries we pass along the road. If we are on a bus, we may even opt to sleep on the way. That’s the beauty of riding a motorbike coz you can’t sleep and you will surely notice all of the beautiful spots on the road. So let’s talk about the main highway connecting the provinces of Cordillera, the Halsema Highway. The Cordillera Mountains as seen along Halsema Highway. This is a challenging highway with sharp curves, steep inclines and declines. But passing here, you will be rewarded with scenic picturesque views along the way. The vegetable t...

Recently, I served as a guide to a group of riders going to a wedding in Kapangan, Benguet. I suggested to take the scenic Alapang – Alno – Tuel – Ambongdolan Road. This scenic detour is a single lane road perfect for motorbikes. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask the conditions of their bikes and their expertise in driving on mountainous roads as they all came from the low-lands. This road has very steep inclines and declines. A 110 cc bike with two passengers had its chains broken, thankfully, someone brought an extra. The ones driving scooters complained of muscle strains for the continuous and strenuous use of their brakes. This is the very reason why I did not buy a scooter coz I’m an extreme user of engine brakes and I need that a lot in the mountainous Cordillera. I’m pretty sure, my chains stretches faster than some bikers. These are some things to consider when you go riding around Cordillera's terrains.  The steep inclines My trustee 125 cc bike I ...